SHELTON -- The death of a 5-year-old pug -- mauled by a neighbor's two pit bulls -- has unleashed an effort by the Board of Aldermen to look at what it can do to control ownership of dogs considered dangerous.

"I'm going to put it on the agenda of the next Public Health and Safety Committee meeting," said board president John Angalce. That committee is next scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Oct. 3 in City Hall.

On Sept. 1, Michael Majewski's pug, Buster, was attacked in his Wenonah Drive yard by the two dogs and died more than a day later from his injuries. Majewski also was injured trying to save his dog from the attack and was only able to scare the dogs away after shooting at them, according to reports.

The pit bulls' owner, Hiriam Gonzalez, of Pequot Trail, voluntarily signed the dogs over to the city, police spokesman Sgt. Kevin Ahern said. They are under quarantine until Sunday, he said, after which they will be euthanized.

Gonzales was also charged with two infractions for letting dogs roam, Ahern said.

"It's tragic all the way around," Ahern said.

Neither Majewski nor Gonzalez could be reached for comment Friday.

The state already has laws governing the controlling of dogs considered dangerous, Anglace said, so the aldermen won't have to formulate its own regulations.

"They already have pages and pages of regulations that we can use," he said.

New regulations could give animal-control officers more leeway in deeming animals as vicious and requiring euthanasia for those that are considered a danger to others.

While Gonzalez voluntarily surrendered his dogs to animal-control officials, the city doesn't have anything in place that would require him to do so, Ahern said. But under state law, the dog warden could order the animals euthanized and the owner would have the right to appeal that decision, he said.

The aldermen will review what they believe are the best state regulations and implement them as local ordinances, Anglace said.

Never make someone a priority in your life when that someone treats you like an option.